The Cove Waterpark

In our search for fun local activities, we came across a Groupon deal for The Cove Waterpark in Riverside. We have a few other water parks nearby, but decided to give this one a a try. Afterall, we couldn't beat the price that Groupon offered (50% off)! 

We went on a Monday and got there about 20 minutes after the park opened. The first thing I noticed was the parking lot is fairly small (especially since they are also doing swim lessons in the lap pool next door). But, it's free and we found a spot immediately.

The next thing I noticed is lack of seating areas. Every lounge chair surrounding the little kid's play area was already taken. There is additional seating in the cabanas, but if someone reserves that cabana, then you're out of luck.  There is more seating on the other side of the park near the tower of slides, but if you have a little one, you won't be in that area.

The kid's play area is very nice. It's structured similar to playground equipment and includes 3 slides, water cannons, a small cargo net and a big dump bucket.  LC loved it and even though I wasn't able to find a nearby seat, I was able to sit on the edge of the water and relax while keeping an eye on him. There are plenty of lifeguards in this area to ensure safety and enforce rules. That's one thing that really stood out. The lifeguards here made sure kids weren't running, cutting in line or doing anything that could hurt them. Same goes for the lifeguards stationed on the lazy river.

The only other area LC could use was the lazy river and he loved it. They had plenty of rafts and enforced that children under a certain height wear a life jacket.

As far as dining options, you are not allowed to bring in outside food or drink. They have you sign a waiver up front stating that you understand that rule, but they didn't check bags. I saw several people eating their own food. We opted for their on-site cafe, but was disappointed that they had ran out of chicken nuggets and straws. The line was long and the cafe ordering was indoors (with a slippery tile floor). When it came to sitting down to eat, again you just hoped a cabana was open with a table to sit at.

We spent 4 hours there and definately got our money worth. It's cheaper than the other local water parks, so if you have kids under 5 and are looking for something to do for a few hours, I do recommend it. But, get there early if you want a lounge chair (Or rent a cabana with a group of friends).

The Cove Waterpark

4310 Camino Real, Riverside

Admission: $18 adults, $14 Junior (37-48"), $9 Tots (30-36")

Parking: FREE

Hours: 11am-7pm

Good For Ages: 2 and up